The Effects Of Marijuana Legalization

It’s no secret that pro-marijuana supporters have been working for years to legalize the recreational and medicinal use of the drug. While it’s worth noting that some progress has been made in states like Colorado, they still have a long way to go. Of course, there are those that disagree with the legalization of cannabis and feel that it should still be an illegal narcotic.

But, what would happen if marijuana were to become as legal as pharmaceutical medicine? Over in Europe, Portugal took the step to decriminalize it and all other narcotics amid fierce criticism. Portugal effectively turned a criminal offense into a public health matter. The country claims that since 2001, they only have three overdose deaths per million citizens compared to the EU’s average of 17.

Should the United States be taking a leaf out of Portugal’s book? In fact, what might happen if America decided to decriminalize marijuana?

Marijuana legalization could lead to extra tax revenue

It’s no secret that the government makes a lot of money from taxing people for various things. If marijuana became a legal drug, it could generate a lot of tax revenue for the country. In fact, some sources claim that Colorado produces over $30 million of taxable marijuana revenue each MONTH!

Should cannabis become legalized on a federal level, that could mean a whole lot of extra cash for the government. That money could then get used for medical programs, education, and so forth.

People would stop getting arrested and charged with possession of marijuana

Millions of Americans get arrested and charged for drugs offenses each year. Many of those arrests are down to possession of small quantities of marijuana for recreational use. When those people get arrested, they have to pay companies like Acme Bail to help them get out of jail before they go to court.

By legalizing cannabis, recreational marijuana smokers wouldn’t have to live in fear of getting arrested. It would also put less pressure on the country’s police forces and overcrowded jails.

For most people, if they need to purchase a quantity of cannabis, they have to call their friendly local drug dealer. As you can imagine, there are a few problems with that. First of all, not all drug dealers are “friendly”! And, second, you have no idea what type of quality product you are getting.

If marijuana were legalized at a federal level, one could buy it from proper retail stores. There would be no danger of paying for an inferior product or getting mugged (or worse) by a drug dealer.

There would be better studies of marijuana usage

While there are many studies on the usage of cannabis in the United States, it’s hard to find willing participants for obvious reasons. Should the government make marijuana legal for recreational use, we can learn more about the drug and its use by citizens.

Such extra information could be beneficial for health officials and law enforcement in a variety of ways.